Local gun store owner not worried about election's potential impact on Black Friday sales

MARTINSVILLE (WSLS 10) - Gun stores are usually busy on Black Friday, however that could change now that Donald Trump has been elected President.

That's according to a USA Today article released this week.

The article suggests now that Donald Trump has been elected President, gun stores like Town Gun Shop in Martinsville will start seeing less business because there is now less of a threat of the right to own a gun being taken away.

But, Town Gun Shop owner Mark Tosh says he's not worried.

For many gun owners or prospective gun owners, the threat of losing their second amendment rights may seem less realistic now but that doesn't necessarily mean there's less of an urgency to go out and buy a gun.

"The panic buying, of course we're not going to see that anymore. But, personal defense is still a big thing. People want to protect [themselves]," Tosh explained.

According to the USA Today article released on Tuesday, the first three days after the election saw stock for Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger & Co. drop more than 25 percent.

The article goes on to note that analysts view this as a sign of slower gun sales ahead.

Tosh says that wasn't the case on Friday though.

"Everybody works on Black Friday for us just due to the fact that it's that busy," Tosh said.

One of the hottest selling items is a snub nose .38 caliber revolver, which people are buying for personal defense.

Customer Tim Lumpkin says having a President who supports the second amendment is great, but it doesn't mean he's not worried about his second amendment rights anymore.

"Really, [nothing has] changed in Congress," Lumpkin emphasized. "You can change presidents, but Congress is the same old people that's been in there for years. So, who knows what they're going to do."

He says that unpredictability is why he'll always be worried about his right to own a gun.

"You never know what they're going to do because every time you turn around, somebody's getting shot," said Lumpkin.

And, that's also likely a big reason Town Gun Shop expected people out in droves Friday taking advantage of sales.